ByCRE
The Bible: all set to become cool on the curriculum
First-time exhibitors Museum of the Bible and RE Today magazine will be at CRE2017 to present the latest version of their groundbreaking Augmented Reality Bible Curriculum for schools.
Committed to making the Bible accessible to today’s generation, Museum of the Bible will show visitors how churches of all kinds can utilise smart phones and tablets to teach the stories of both Old and New Testaments to people of all ages.
At a seminar on the first day of CRE2017 (3pm, Tue 17 Oct), Museum of the Bible’s Mark Markiewicz and Julia Diamond-Conway, RE Today’s national adviser, will outline how technology is set to revolutionise RE in schools.
‘Visitors will also have an opportunity to see and use it for themselves,’ explains Mark, ‘and discover how it can be used in their schools and churches.’
As well as creating the most technologically-advanced museum in the world, opening in Washington DC in November 2017, Museum of the Bible has displayed artefacts and academic resources in cities around the world, including Vatican City’s Braccio di Carlo Magno and the Havana Cathedral in Havana, Cuba. Plans are already well advanced to bring a similar museum to central London.
Click here to watch a demonstration of the Augmented Reality Bible Curriculum in a US high school.
Museum of the Bible are on Stand 30 and RE Today on Stand 31 at CRE 2017.
ByCRE
How the mitres have fallen – but it’s not the end of colourful clergy
Mitres, stoles, capes and chasubles – the traditional clothing of Church of England clergy – may disappear from churches services after the Church of England voted last week to allow ministers to ‘wear what they want’.
It’s proved a difficult time for ecclesiastical designer Juliet Hemingray, a long-time CRE exhibitor, who has led the way in not only adding colour to vestments but, through her designs, making allusions to biblical narratives.
‘They are visual aids,’ she explains, ‘and do not form a barrier between wearer and observer. The subject matter on the stole or scarf, for example, can start helpful conversations.’
Juliet’s business began in 1979 when a close friend asked her to decorate a plain black preaching scarf with scenes that would appeal to children.
‘Orders poured in for bespoke designs reflecting the faith of customers,’ she recalls. ‘I have created 13 jobs and enabled more than 30,000 people to portray the Gospel in a way that is personal and meaningful. One friend in Tennessee told me he couldn’t remember any sermons from his early church life but recalled symbols on vestments and hangings. They meant a great deal to him.’
Juliet believes there is room for both options – vestments or more informal clothing.
‘My choice is obviously the first, purely from a Gospel-preaching standpoint,’ she says. ‘But you should make the most of whatever you are wearing and when you are not speaking, let the garment speak!’
Her view was reflected at two recent meetings in Lancashire. More than 4,000 schoolchildren gathered at Ewood Park, the home of Blackburn Rovers, for a talk given by the Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev Philip North. Dramatically, he revealed an Arsenal shirt under his vestments, using the long-standing rivalry between Division One team Blackburn and Premier League Burnley FC to discuss the importance of loyalty.
Only a week before Canon Mark Jones, vicar of St Leonard’s Church in nearby Padiham, wore a Queen’s Park Rangers’ shirt – the team he supports – in front of 200 children from the local primary school. He wore it to illustrate how belonging to and supporting a child is an important part of any christening service. He ‘baptised’ a baby doll for two seven-year-old pupils.
In an area in which some members of the clergy have ignored the rulings and worn no clerical identification or the minimum for some time, the new pronouncement gives everyone the opportunity to be free and easy on some social occasions and add colour and pomp on others – without causing offence. It may even offer those ‘wearing parables’ to speak clearly to their congregation without uttering a word.
Step forward, Juliet!
David Hall
Juliet will be on Stand S129 at CRE 2017
ByCRE
All kinds of everything… for all types of church
Irish singer Dana opened CRE in 1993 (see picture) and, we’re delighted she will do the same again – cutting the tape on an exhibition that offers all kinds of everything for all types of churches.
Dana will be with us for three days, where she will be interviewed by Rev Cindy Kent MBE about her wide-ranging career in music and politics and take part in various special events.
As Ireland’s first winner of the prestigious Eurovision Song Contest, the school girl from Derry became an overnight singing star, with a number one record throughout Europe. Years of recording success followed with chart-topping albums and singles and she hosted her own hit series, A Day Out with Dana (BBC), andWake Up Sunday (BBC).
In the midst of a successful mainstream career, Dana started to speak publicly about her faith. She and husband Damien began writing songs together, including Totus Tuus – inspired by the motto of the Late Pope John Paul II.
In 1987, Dana was invited to lead 86,000 young people in singing Totus Tuus for Pope John Paul II in the New Orleans’s Super Dome. Around this time, she was also invited to sing at three of Dr. Billy Graham’s Crusades, two in the US, and one in London’s Wembley Stadium in the UK.
During the 1990s, she entered the world of politics, securing a nomination to run in the 1997 Irish Presidential election, the first non-political, non-party candidate ever to do so. She campaigned on protecting the Christian family values and life enshrined in the Irish Constitution, and earned a respectable 14 per cent of the votes, beating one of Ireland’s major political parties. In 1999, she was subsequently elected as a Member of the European Parliament, representing Ireland’s Connacht-Ulster constituency from 1999 to 2004.
Dana and her husband Damien have their own new music production company called DS Music Productions. She has remained close to her Irish roots, working tirelessly for peace and Christian family values.
ByCRE
1000 churches later, Dunphy is hot property
A new electric system that mimics a hot water system by warming the fabric of the building – without using a boiler and running on electricity.
That’s just one of the innovations from CRE exhibitor Christopher Dunphy Ecclesiastical Heating.
‘It is particularly useful for churches in more remote locations where mains gas is not available,’ explained Dunphy, who juggles being chair of League One Rochdale FC with running a firm which has designed and installed cost-effective heating systems for more than 40 years.
‘We’ve probably heated more than 1,000 churches,’ said Dunphy. ‘If you’ve got a medieval or Victorian building you’re looking at walls two to seven feet thick. They act like storage heaters. The worse nightmare is a church built in the 1960s or 70s – with low heat retention. Give me an old church any day!
‘It is a complex issue with far-reaching implications which affect the very fabric of your building. Factors almost uniquely relevant to churches that have to be considered. Noise, excessive movement of air, changes in humidity and of course the visual effect on the aesthetic of the church. To get any of these wrong can lead not only to a poorly heated church but can also lead to considerable damage of the building via thermal shock, distortion, condensation, wood rot or even organ damage’.
In short, warns Dunphy, a bad heating system can be disastrous.
‘Our philosophy on church heating is quite simple: to produce the most cost effective solution to your individual needs in the long term,’ he maintains. ‘The criteria for this will be different in every church. When we install a heating system, we like the finished product to be unobtrusive as possible. We pay great attention to every detail. Heat emitters can be colour coded if required and piperuns made as neat and discreet as possible.’
Twelve-year-old Jonathan will speak up for the speechless
A 12-year-old best-selling author will help open CRE – and speak up for the speechless.
Jonathan Bryan, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, is entirely non-verbal. He uses an alphabet board to spell out everything he wants to say and in his book, Eye Can Write, reflects on his Christian faith.
Jonathan’s father, Rev Christopher Bryan is rector of Gauzebrook and area dean of North Wilts. His son’s faith, rooted in a profound experience of the life to come, is both ‘hugely inspiring and challenging. The prospect of going to be with Christ is such a strong and real thing it totally informs his attitude to death, getting ill and everything. That really makes you think about your own attitude.’
In the days after Jonathan’s birth, and for the first time in her life, Jonathan’s mother, Chantal, prayed until she was ‘spent’, joined by others over the country — strangers, in many instances.
‘God answered our prayers,’ she told the Church Times. ‘Jonathan survived, and, OK, he is stuck in a body here that doesn’t work very well, but, actually, what has been transformed out of that is something that none of us would have thought of in the early days. His faith encourages others. I say now sometimes that he is more healed, in a way, than the rest of us. A lot of people are still trying to find out who they are and what they are, and he is happy with who he is.’
The Bryan family have set up a charity, Teach Us Too (a panel about the organisation will be on display at CRE), promoting the right for all children to be taught to read and write, whatever their label or diagnosis. Three more organisations will exhibit under the Churches for All banner – each committed to improving universal access to church buildings and programmes. Count Everyone In, The Lodge Trust, and Torch Trust will offer visitors a breadth of experience and depth of knowledge on disability issues.
Opening the exhibition will be singer/songwriter Marilyn Baker, blind almost from birth, who will be accompanied by a choir from Notre Dame school in Cobham, using Makaton, a language programme using signs and symbols to help people communicate.
Gordon Temple, executive officer for Churches for All, says: ‘CRE presents a great opportunity to support and encourage churches as they strive to welcome, include and involve people living with disabilities in every aspect of church life.’
• Churches for All will hold a seminar at CRE 2018 (12pm, Tue 16 Oct)
Click here for a list of more than 200 exhibitors at CRE 2018
Click the button below to pre-register for CRE 2018 for as little as £3
Friends will gather to extend Legg’s legacy
Musicians Graham Kendrick, Andy Flannagan. Lou and Nathan Fellingham and Paul and Fiona Jones will join comedians Paul Kerensa and Tiny Vino to celebrate the life and legacy of late evangelist Steve Legg at CRE 25.
Top row, left to right: Tiny Vino, Paul and Fiona Jones, Paul Kerensa; bottom row: Graham Kendrick and Andy Flannagan.
Steve, who died in September 2024 aged 57, began his entertainment career in 1988 using escapology to grab the attention of his audience. He became well known for presenting the Gospel using a combination of comedy and magic tricks in events across the UK and overseas.
A prolific author, he wrote 20 books and founded Sorted, a lifestyle magazine for men with a Christian perspective.
Adventurer Bear Grylls called him ‘hilarious’ and TV presenter Jonathan Ross called him ‘very clever indeed.’ Mark Greenwood, director of evangelism at Elim Churches, described him as ‘one of the funniest, most creative and risk-taking evangelists’ he had ever known.
‘The Steve Legg Arts Theatre at CRE 25 will honour and extend our good and much-missed friend’s legacy,’ said CRE owner Steve Goddard. ‘For two hours on each of the exhibition’s two days we will bring together some of the people Steve worked with over the years – on Sorted magazine and at events all over the UK. His commitment to helping “ordinary blokes” make sense of the Christian faith is something we want to try and help sustain.’
CRE 2025
See a complete list of exhibitors at CRE 25
CRE 25 is Wed 15 and Thu 16 Oct
Book your ticket here for as little as £3
Why kids make a solid start at Rock UK
With a legacy dating back more than a century, Rock UK Adventure Centres offer more than 40 instructed activities designed to build confidence, resilience and teamwork in young people and adults alike.
Operating in four areas – Frontier Centre in Northamptonshire, Carroty Wood in Kent, Summit Centre in South Wales and Whithaugh Park in the Scottish Borders, Rock UK provides immersive experiences in stunning natural settings.
Each centre offers tailored programmes for schools, youth groups, churches, families and corporate teams, with activities ranging from climbing, abseiling, and archery to kayaking, zip wires and mountain biking.
The flagship Frontier Centre boasts 122 acres of woodland and water, featuring an aerial adventure course, lakeside activities and versatile accommodation for groups of six to 200 – including its new tented village.
Steve Hallett, director of operations and income generation, told CRE News: ‘It’s a hub for personal growth, leadership development and unforgettable memories. Every activity is led by qualified instructors, ensuring a safe and supportive environment where participants can challenge themselves and grow.
‘Our mission is rooted in Christian values. In addition to our outdoor adventure programme, we run an instructor training programme for young adults looking to train as outdoor instructors.’
Whether it’s a school residential, a youth retreat, or a family adventure day, Rock UK delivers high-impact experiences that go beyond the ordinary.
- Rock UK are on stand R6 at CRE 25
CRE 2025
See a complete list of exhibitors at CRE 25
CRE 25 is Wed 15 and Thu 16 Oct
Book your ticket here for as little as £3
Set your prayers free from the clutter
In a world overflowing with endless mobile notifications, our deepest prayer needs can easily get buried beneath the clutter.
A new resource to this year’s CRE, PrayerBud, a digital prayer platform, cuts through the chaos, turning a notification into a moment of connection, reminding you that someone is lifting you up in prayer or prompting you to pray for someone.
Its creator is Dr Olatunde Banjo, the founder and CEO of DTI.
‘In today’s digital age, churches and small groups often struggle to keep up with technological advancements,’ he told CRE News. ‘Prayerbud offers a low-barrier entry point for ministries ready to begin a digital transformation journey.
‘At DTI we build cost-effective, bespoke software for manufacturers and small businesses for a living. If manufacturing operations can be optimised by digital solutions, why not the church?’
As a seasoned manufacturer with a passion for continuous improvement, Olatunde saw an opportunity to transfer his skills into kingdom service. During a church service, he was stirred to replace the traditional paper-based prayer and praise cards with a digital solution – one that would eliminate lost requests and unstructured WhatsApp messages, and instead create a seamless, single-click approach to raising prayer requests and sharing testimonies.
- Prayerbud 4 Churches – Enables churches to keep the prayer doors open 24/7 and helps extend the spirit of Sunday into everyday life.
- Prayerbud 4 Friends & Family – Helps people stay spiritually connected across continents. Prayer requests can be shared, answered prayers celebrated and real-time updates and encouragements received.
Olatunde will be at CRE 25 seeking partners who share his vision – to make Prayerbud a global tool for prayer, connecting churches and individuals across borders.
‘Let’s come together and build a praying Church that’s connected, responsive – and empowered by new technology,’ said Olatunde. ‘Join us in this mission to make prayer more accessible, more intentional and more powerful.’
- PrayerBud is on stand S4 at CRE 25
CRE 2025
See a complete list of exhibitors at CRE 25
CRE 25 is Wed 15 and Thu 16 Oct
Book your ticket here for as little as £3
Trees, bees and seeds bring hope at harvest
Trees, bees and seeds are being used by local churches in Tanzania to strengthen their communities – and it’s the theme of a new resource pack that will be available at CRE 25.
Ideal for harvest services, creation care events, coffee mornings, bible studies, school and youth groups, the Operation Agri (OA) resource pack focuses on the IMARIKA project in Tanzania.
OA supports rural and urban development projects in three continents, attacking basic causes of poverty among some of the most disadvantaged people in the world. The projects help people to address their own problems, rectifying injustice, improving their environment, establishing their role in the community and transforming their lives physically, mentally and spiritually.
Emphasis is placed on the development work fulfilling two criteria – it should be ‘owned’ by the local people, and where possible be sustainable. With its aim of ‘showing Christian love in action’, OA works with overseas partner organisations led by locally-based Christians.
- Operation Agri are on stand O7 at CRE 25
CRE 2025
See a complete list of exhibitors at CRE 25
CRE 25 is Wed 15 and Thu 16 Oct
Book your ticket here for as little as £3
The power of light to enrich worship
Thoughtful, precise lighting can transform sacred spaces, enhance atmosphere, guide the eye and reveal the beauty of architecture.
That’s the opinion of Jim Ashley-Down, managing director at ERCO, first-time exhibitors at CRE 25.
‘For decades, we have been trusted to deliver stunning lighting solutions across cathedrals, churches, mosques and temples worldwide,’ he told CRE News. ‘Our expertise has made us the go-to lighting company for so many of the world’s religious buildings – from Salisbury Cathedral, Sherborne Abbey, Newcastle Cathedral and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh to international landmarks like Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavik, Milan, Siena and Toledo Cathedrals.
‘Our portfolio shows the power of light to enrich worship and architecture alike.’
Alongside these well-known projects, ERCO has also illuminated the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the Punchbowl Mosque in Sydney and Buddhist temples such as Jokhang Dazhao in Lhasa and Niushoushan Culture Park in Nanjing. Each project reflects a deep respect for both heritage and contemporary needs, ensuring light plays its role in conservation, atmosphere and spiritual meaning.
‘Whether you’re caring for a historic cathedral or looking to refresh a smaller parish church, the ERCO team is ready to discuss how tailored lighting solutions can bring clarity, presence and reverence to your building,’ said Jim.
- ERCO are on stand M4 at CRE 25
Images: Photography James Newton. Courtesy of ERCO GmbH ©
CRE 2025
See a complete list of exhibitors at CRE 25
CRE 25 is Wed 15 and Thu 16 Oct
Book your ticket here for as little as £3